If you are not a U.S. citizen or do not have U.S. permanent resident status, you will need to obtain a student visa to legalize your residence in the United States while you study at Stanford.  All international visa documents for new international students coming to Stanford on F-1 or J-1 visas are issued by the Bechtel International Center.  Bechtel has detailed information about the visa process at Stanford, which can be found here.

Incoming international students are asked to submit their I-20 or DS-2019 request forms by June 3rd through Bechtel Connect, our university visa processing system. Instructions on how to request your I-20 or DS-2019 can be found here.  With the I-20 or DS-2019 document, you will apply for a F-1 or J-1 visa with your local consulate.  The I-20 or DS-2019 document will be issued by the university within 15 business days, provided all documentation and financial information is complete. You will have the option of having your I-20 or DS-2019 sent via Federal Express, which will be charged to your student bill for fall quarter.

F or J Visa

Review the information on Bechtel’s website and consider what type of visa you will apply for (F-1 or J-1).  Each student’s situation will be different, i.e. Will you be bringing a spouse? Children?  How will you meet the funds necessary for the year?  Will you be using personal funds?  Do you have an outside sponsor, such as Fulbright or another scholarship?  What do you plan to do after Stanford?  All these will factor into your decision, so take time to review all your information before you begin. Please review the Estimated Graduate Student Budget as a guide to determine how you will fund your year.

Funding Section for I-20 or DS-2019 Request Form

You will need to show that you have sufficient funds at the time you apply for your visa, to meet the budget for the entire academic year.  You will demonstrate that you have the funds by attaching bank statements, letters of support from family or sponsors, or a combination of sources to your I-20 or DS-2019 request.  If you are bringing family, complete their information in the I-20 or DS-2019 request and also attach their passport photos.  Further instructions regarding the Funding section of the request form can be found here.

Additional Notes:

• Please enter your funding amounts in US dollars in the request form.  Enter this information for all sources, making sure the total amount of funding is at least the amount of the estimated graduate student budget provided to you by the law school. If the funds on your supporting documents are not in US dollars, then you must provide a letter or document showing the US equivalent or conversion. We recommend you use a conversion site such as Oanda.com
• For “self-support” funding, you will need to attach a bank statement that clearly shows whose account it is, the date of the statement, the total amount of funds available and what currency the statement shows.
• If you are receiving “family funding”, you will need to attach a letter of support from the family member stating his or her relation to you, the exact US dollar amount provided, and for what purpose (e.g. Stanford expenses during academic year), and a bank statement verifying the amount of funds.
• If you are receiving funding from a sponsoring organization, you will need to enclose a letter from that source, indicating the amount of support, and if there are any terms for their support.  For example, can those funds can be used for tuition only; tuition and fees; any other restrictions, and the time period of the grant.
• Total the US dollar conversions, and be sure it meets the 2024-2025 estimated graduate student budget.
• Check the box on the form if you are attending Stanford’s Summer English for Foreign Students program.  If you are planning to attend that program, you will need to apply separately.  More information can be found here.  If you will be in the U.S. taking a different Summer English Program, please advise the Law School Office of Admissions (graduateadmissions@law.stanford.edu) of the program.
• Arrival Date:  Orientation for LLM, JSM, and incoming first year JD students will begin on Tuesday, August 27, 2024.  Orientation is required for LLM programs and some components of the two introductory courses, “Introduction to American Law” and “Professional Responsibility,” may be scheduled during Orientation. Starting the 2022-2023 Academic Year, Orientation and “Introduction to American Law” are required for JSM/SPILS students. The courses are intended to introduce students to American law and the common law system during that time.  The program start date on your I-20 or DS-2019 document will be September 3, 2024, and you will be eligible to arrive in the U.S. 30 days before this date. Should you be required to enroll in the two courses, attendance at every class meeting is also required.  Fall quarter Law School classes will begin on September 3, 2024.
• You will receive an email from the Bechtel International Center when your documents are ready to be sent to you, including your SEVIS number so you can schedule a visa interview with your local consulate.  Bechtel will inform you of the next steps in the visa process.